Book picks similar to
Hold U Down by Keisha Ervin


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Dime Piece


Tracy Brown - 2004
    On one hand, she has found happiness with the love of her life, Raheem "Rah-Lo" Henderson. He is unhappily married with children, and Celeste is his well-kept secret. He loves Celeste without question, proving his affection for her by financing her dream- a beauty salon called Dime Piece. But when Rah-Lo is incarcerated for his part in a brutal crime, his right hand man Ishmael Wright is left to hold down the fort. This causes him to come face to face with the feelings he has secretly harbored for Celeste for far too long. While Rah-Lo's away, will Celeste and Ishmael give into their passion for each other, or will their loyalty to Rah-Lo stand in their way? Meanwhile, Dime Piece is the setting for tons of drama between hairstylists Charly, Nina and Robin. The ladies vie for one man's attention and the fireworks begin. Dime Piece is packed with drama, love triangles and passionate encounters. The question is, which of the ladies will ultimately be the one and only Dime Piece?

Blinded


KaShamba Williams - 2003
    Being the first person in her family to gain a high school diploma, she has set the tone for greatness. But her prominent future becomes so nebulous that she turns to the streets for guidance and support. She soon realizes that the ''life'' of fast money and frivolous behaviors has not only plagued her, but other family members as well, suffering the same issues that were handed down for generations. In spite of her failed attempts to overcome her problems, she's determined to triumph once again.

A Hustler's Son


T. Styles - 2006
    She never knew she would find one in her 15-year-old son, Kelsi. Surrounded by violence, drugs and lies, Kelsi murders in self-defense. Suddenly Kelsi becomes charged with the new-found feeling he associates with becoming a man, and feels he can take on anything, including his mother's cheating lover. The heat of murder ensues and Janet feels it's time to make a permanent move out of Maryland. Before doing so, she plans one last murder which, if goes as planned, could ultimately be worth millions. To top it all off, Janet has not revealed to her son the biggest secret yet.

The Glamorous Life


Nikki Turner - 2005
    Her thug love not only corrupted her but blinded her with the bling and cash that come with living the glamorous life of a gangsta's girl-until Reggie hit her with a low blow, crumbling her heart. From that day forward, Bambi vowed that whoever crossed her or anyone she loved would pay-usually in large bills.With the street knowledge she gleaned from her ex as well as her own business savvy, Bambi builds a multimillion-dollar party planning empire. Along the way she runs across all kinds of dudes who try to run massive amounts of game, and ultimately she becomes a first-rate swindler and top-notch gamestress in her own right. Then she crosses paths with Lynx, a young drug dealer who sees more in Bambi than the gold digger she is rumored to be. He methodically penetrates her shield layer by layer until he captures her heart. But is she just setting herself up to be played once again?The #1 bestselling author of A Hustler's Wife and A Project Chick, Nikki Turner gives up the game that could never be sold, only told.

Dice


T.N. Baker - 2007
    Rollin' dice is an everyday hustle for Wasuan, and he's one of the best the hood has ever seen. No one can defeat him. That is, until he stumbles across a dude from the same hood named Tone who has just as much confidence, a little too much mouth, lots of cash to back it up, and a strong desire for Wasuan's girl. When Wasuan is challenged and the stakes grow high, he finds himself caught out in deeper waters than he can swim in, with Tone dangling three options: pay up, take your last breath, or sacrifice something much greater...his girl, Enychi. But when Enychi agrees to spend one night with Tone in order to save her man's life, she finds herself caught up in an unwilling love triangle like the streets have never known. Love, betrayal, lies, sex and money are just the beginning in this scandalous tale, where loyalties are put to the ultimate test. In this new novel, T. N. Baker takes the term "sheisty" to a whole new level.

Harlem Girl Lost


Treasure E. Blue - 2004
    Blue, street lit’s hottest newcomer, crafts characters that fly off the page and a story that burns with intensity. Set in Harlem, this searing novel is a poignant and gritty portrait of urban survival of the ghetto’s fittest . . . and most fierce.Silver Jones knows just how cruel life can be. Her mother was chewed up and spit out by its dark side–brutally murdered while turning a trick. Rather than live with her abusive grandmother, Silver runs away. Determined to escape the mean streets, Silver longs for an education. But after running into an old friend, a homeless youth named Chance whom she’d taken under her wing once upon a time, Silver puts her dreams of college on hold. Chance is grown now–and he’s a powerful drug overlord. But underneath the cool exterior is the same innocent boy Silver once loved. As they begin an affair, Silver tries to convince Chance to give up the lethal way of life that ruined both their childhoods. But Chance knows that walking away from the game means having to pay a deadly price. Silver won’t take no for an answer–even if it means delving into a seedy underworld and outscheming some of its most vicious drug-dealers and cold-blooded murderers.“Even in Blue’s world of double-crossing, misogyny, drugs and brutality, an against-all-odds fairy tale can come true.”–Publishers Weekly

Dirty Game


Shannon Holmes - 2007
    Now he's a cab driver, doing what he can to put food on the table and give his daughter, Destiny, everything she needs. In spite of his past or because of it, he's willing to do whatever it takes to keep Destiny off the streets. But when he is shot and paralyzed during a robbery while on the job, Destiny knows that she has to step up to the plate to take care of the father who has provided for her. Allowing herself to learn from one of the fiercest street hustlers, Destiny becomes his lover and soon her skills rival his. But the longer she stays in the game, the deeper into the game she falls.

Blossom


Queen Pen - 2006
    Lavished with expensive jewelry, exotic getaways, and, most important, her first love, Blossom's life is transformed. But her fairy tale is quickly ended when a murder occurs -- meant for the two lovers -- and Dude's emotional pain and controlling temper cause him to change his attitude toward Blossom. Soon deceit casts a dark shadow over their relationship, and Blossom is left feeling abandoned and betrayed -- but still hopelessly in love. A portrait of life in urban black America, Blossom takes us on the rocky journey of falling in love with a street hustler, where tomorrow is never guaranteed -- even for Blossom, a woman full of such life and promise.

A Dollar Outta Fifteen Cent


Caroline McGill - 2004
    Can this exotic dancer turn a customer into the love of her life?

Sugar Walls


Brittani Williams - 2007
    In this sexy, suspenseful slice of urban fiction, an ambitious womans love ofeasy money and fast living leads her to the brink of destruction.

The Womanizers


Dwayne S. Joseph - 2004
    Original. 15,000 first printing.

Secret Society


Miasha - 2006
    WITH A TWIST THAT WILL LEAVE YOU SHOCKED! At nineteen years old, Celess and Tina are at the top of their game. They've got the looks and the bodies to attract attention from men wherever they go -- and they work it. From New York to Philly to Vegas, they hit all the clubs and every big party dressed to kill. And they don't pay for a thing -- not with men like O, Tariq, and James lining up to buy them designer clothes, the hottest jewelry, and luxury cars. But their fast, packed lives are about to catch up with them. The two share a devastating secret, and when it's revealed, Celess will need every ounce of her street smarts to survive....

Let That Be the Reason


Vickie M. Stringer - 2001
    Stringer's wildly successful career- Let That Be the Reason. This is the remix. Based on Stringer's real-life experiences, this epic tale has changed the face of contemporary literature and continues to resonate and provide voice to thousands of urban readers as a cautionary tale of will and redemption. Pamela Xavier is a young woman left for dead by her drug-dealing boyfriend, Chino. With stacks of bills, no food in the fridge, and a baby on the way, Pammy turns to the streets for survival. Her back against the wall, Pammy relies on her alter ego, Carmen, to guide her through the male-dominated game and to achieve what she thinks will buy back her life and her happiness: money. In no time, Carmen graduates from call-girl service to leader of a major drug cartel- all to raise her son so he may never know her same pain and struggle. But with money on her mind, Carmen soon realizes that the perilous choices and consequences of the game come at a much higher cost than she could ever have imagined. Let That Be the Reason in this collector's edition, including additional chapters and dialogue, is a true-to-life saga of a woman's love, ambition to survive, forgiveness, and salvation.

Crackhead


Lisa Lennox - 2005
    In the late `80s and early `90s, the crack epidemic swept through inner city communities like the plague. Mothers abandoned their children and took to the street for a hit. Fathers sold everything they owned to get a taste. The crackhead was rampant. Some neighborhoods were never the same. Enter Laci Johnson, a privileged, smart, beautiful teenage girl from across town, who teams up with The South Bronx Bitches - an infamous girl group known for chasing men and money. When the SBB becomes envious of Laci they devise a plan to destroy her life. Finding love in the most unexpected of places, Laci turns to a local drug dealer to help save her and heal the wounds of her new addiction.

Pitbulls In A Skirt


Mikal Malone - 2008
    s deadliest projects, you ll run into four women with colorful ski coats and designer jeans. And if you don t belong, you ll quickly find out what they have nestled inside the Marc Jacob or Louis Vuitton purses they keep closely to them. These females aren t just pretty faces. They were taken out of their beds and placed on the throne by the hustler s they loved. Their only request was that the Emerald City squad remain true. But when Thick, the self proclaimed leader of the clique decides to bring an outside chick into the picture, to floss using the money their girlfriends earned, the security of the operation is jeopardized, sides are chosen and all hell breaks loose. Immediately they decide to remove the gang-stresses from power to prevent their emotions from interfering with business. But it s easier said than done and their ungratefulness only insights their fury. Once they shared their beds together, now they fought a war against one another for the ownership of a million dollar empire. Four women against their ex men. Who will reign supreme? The men who taught them everything they knew about the game? Or the Pitbulls In A Skirt?